Hi,
sounds like you want to get your training organised. That means finding a periodised training schedule that works for you; and then optimising the workouts. I like the Heart rate Monitor Book for Indoor and Outdoor Cyclists by Edwards and Reed, and especially their logbook.

I asked this question mainly because I'm working out my winter training schedule, and for me it's usually easier to stay on a plan during winter, just seems like there's not as many distractions.

My main problem is I often get asked to go along on epic mtb rides with little notice, and sometimes these pop up the day after a hard road effort. It hasn't caused any problems yet but I'm getting older and want to avoid overuse injuries. I plan to do a couple different MTB race series in '04.

It's all about recovery

This time of year I'm riding strictly aerobic miles. and am alternating 20 mile days with 30 mile days. Longer rides on the week-ends, one day off a week. When I start doing anaerobic work-outs again, I'll typically alternate work-out days with rest days (easy or no riding). Getting results was slow to non-existent until I starting taking recovery time.

If you're in good condition to begin with, I wouldn't expect the occasional back-to-back major effort to cause over-use problems. The second day you probably won't do as well, and you'll have to recover longer, is all.

During the winter months I limit my milage to 100 miles a week - generally I ride Monday, Wednesday, Firday and Saturday. During the week I'll ride my trainer 25 miles at a time focussing on a different aspects of cycling during the week (Cadence, Areobic conditioning). When the weather permits, Saturdays I put it all together outside to finish out my 100 mile week otherwise its another 25 mile session on the trainer.

On the weeks I slack off (riding only two days during the week) I'll ride enough miles on Saturday to finish my 100 mile week (usually 50 miles)

first, it's hard to give fast "rules", but i'll try and give what i do personally plus what i know from training "experts":

use either a 2-1 or 3-1 training schedule -- this means 2 or 3 days training followed by an easy/rest day.

now the easy day means just that --- either much less quantity, much less intensity or both depending on how hard the previous training was. in most cases short easy spinning of say 30-45 minutes is the best "easy" recovery day after a major workout (typically lots of time of lactate threshold and/or intervals or sprints)

* schedule 1 day a week off the bike (or LIGHT spinning if you just have to ride)

anyhow, it depends on how you are: some people can take a calendar and 3 weeks in advance say "ok, the 5th is intervals, the 6th light recovery spinning, etc" -- i am more the spontaneous/flexible person so i just tailor my training as i go ---- i.e. wednesday was a hard group ride and thursday interval training, so friday will be a full rest day, then saturday i can hammer with the local group, sunday do a long ride and monday intervals... but then sunday buddies ask me to ride an epic ride so monday becomes a spinning day...

then work on a mid-term cycle as well -- typically 3 weeks hard training followed by an easier week --- and you can also change your focus from each "cycle" to strength, endurance, intervals, sprints, etc...

more than anything it's about learning to read your body and provide for proper recovery --- and then changing up your training soas to stress the body and then get your maximum gains...

train hard, recover fully! then do it again!

My main problem is I often get asked to go along on epic mtb rides with little notice, and sometimes these pop up the day after a hard road effort. It hasn't caused any problems yet but I'm getting older and want to avoid overuse injuries. I plan to do a couple different MTB race series in '04.

just gauge your training to how you feel and how hard your previous work-outs were. 2 hard days in a row is generally no problem - just you will need MORE recovery afterward

Anybody have any injury avoidance advice as far as training goes?

what's the saying? "better 10% undertrained than 5% overtrained" or something like that. as far as injuries many are induced by a) ramping up training too fast - i.e. 20 miles/week and then suddenly 200miles/week and b) OVERTRAINING and/or lack or recovery

as you age recovery becomes even more important -- at 19 your body can take the constant abuse that at 50, 40 or even 30 may really cause problems - so LEARN how to recover properly.

why drive when you can ride?
now a fully certified German MTB Guide! (DAV)

You can see that mon, tue are both very easy days to recover from the overload that came on fri, sat, and sun. Yes, at the end of sunday's ride I feel pretty trashy, BUT THATS A GOOD THING! I then have three days untill my next kinda serious ride on wed -- 72 hrs for recovery is a LOT.

It's pretty evident that my focus this time of the year is on strength and working on my sprinting form. In another month or so I'll be focussing more on threshold work while still keeping up the sprints. About 6 weeks out from the season, I'll start doing big overload periods with anaerobic intervals while still keeping a day of threshold stuff.

Volume will increase to about 22-23 hours a week in Dec-Jan-begining of Feb before dropping back down to maybe 17-19 hrs when I'm doingheavy anaerobic work. I want to hit the ground running as I start the season.

I know most of you have jobs and families and can't ride this much, so don't start flaming me -- all I'm suggesting is overloading for three days on the weekends. Don't go easy on yourself. You WILL feel $hitty on sunday. But after you're fully recovered, you will have actually done some serious improvement.

This is the fastest way to improvement. You'll be surprise how much stronger you are after a few months of overloading on the weekends.

determine your weakness during your season.
the winter is not for being in the saddle long hours, as this can lead to mental burnout come spring time.

ex: my weakness is when the road turns up. in our climate, strength off the bike will benefit you the most for during the season. i ride wed, friday, some saturadys and every sunday. tuesdays and thursdays are for trashing my quads. load up the sled, squats, leg extensions. some upper body, shoulders, etc.

don't worry about endurance this time of year. you can never simulate this type of training indoors or outside in this weather. go for strength.

I know most of you have jobs and families and can't ride this much, so don't start flaming me -- all I'm suggesting is overloading for three days on the weekends. Don't go easy on yourself. You WILL feel $hitty on sunday. But after you're fully recovered, you will have actually done some serious improvement.

This is the fastest way to improvement. You'll be surprise how much stronger you are after a few months of overloading on the weekends.

It's pretty simple really.

- Maurizio

Whooo... Maruizio! The weekend warrior is not the way to go- that is a cause of a pretty high proportion of injuries I've seen over the years. Weekend warriors are those people who don't exercise during the week, then overtrain (or they'd call it work out strenuouosly or something PC like that) Fri- Sunday. The problem is, during the week, when little or no exercise is done, the muscles are not being utilized enough for the amount of stress you suddenly exert on them for the weekend exercise. If this guy is trying to avoid overtraining or injuries related to training, I would run as far away from the weekend warrior type training as fast as possible.

Those people who outlined using a periodization program would definitely be the way to go- you could build strength and endurance as the months progress, and by summer, you should be ready to hit the roads, and you'll be properly trained for those high stress rides.

Thanks for the replies. Before thanksgiving I was really in the groove, doing long rides, a day a week of hill repeats, a day of 85%, etc. Now after fighting off the flu and the normal thanksgiving ritual I get to start over, man this is fun!